For they all made us afraid, saying, Their hands shall be weakened from the work, that it be not done. Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.
They were all trying to make us afraid, saying, 'Their hands will become too weak to continue the work, and it won't get finished.' So now, O God, please strengthen my hands.
Nehemiah recognizes that his enemies are trying to discourage him and make him quit rebuilding Jerusalem's wall, so he asks God for strength to keep going.
📚 Historical Context
Nehemiah was leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls around 445 BC after the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon. Local enemies like Sanballat and Tobiah were constantly trying to stop the construction through intimidation, threats, and psychological warfare. This verse comes after they had tried various schemes to distract or frighten Nehemiah away from his God-given mission.
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